Obama takes axe to bloated government spending

AFP on Yahoo ^ | 3/4/09 | AFP

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – President Barack Obama on Wednesday promised to save American taxpayers 40 billion dollars a year by slashing waste in government contracting, with a special eye on bloated spending on defense.

"I reject the false choice between securing this nation and wasting billions of taxpayer dollars," Obama said on a day when he signed a presidential memorandum reforming the contracting system across the entire government.

"In this time of great challenges, I recognize the real choice between investments that are designed to keep the American people safe and those that are designed to make a defense contractor rich," Obama said.

The president's promise to clean up contracting was in line with his pledge to cut the soaring federal budget deficit in half by the end of his mandate in 2013.

As Obama spoke, he was flanked by his former Republican rival for the presidency, Senator John McCain, who is a hawkish opponent of wasteful spending in the Pentagon, and scours legislation for lawmaker's pet projects.

Obama honed in on runaway Pentagon spending, vowing that "the days of giving defense contractors a blank check are over," and highlighted work by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to overhaul military procurement at the Pentagon.

[Purrcival]

BWAH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Wisconsinlady]

Baa baa black sheep,(Obama) have you any bull?

Yes, sir, yes, sir, three bags full!

[1035rep]

Why am I not surprised that a man named Hussein, would target our military defense for cuts.

Right out of the old Muslim playbook.

[Cheerio]

Every new administration is going to "fix" Government contracting - what a joke. There are already so many laws and regulations that only a special cadre of COs and Government Contracts specialists can make the system work. And I might add the career risk of making an honest mistake will draw jail time.

Bama has no hope at this, but oh how the media will play this out is outrageous. I head him speaking while changing channels and he was on the kick about "no bid contracts" again, a favorite Dem talking point. I searched the FAR last year and the term "no bid" contract is nowhere to be found. I suspect the term is a media favorite referring to a sole source contract award, which is all perfectly legal and in fact is a necessity under certain circumstances. But oh how the media loved to beat up Dick Cheney's company Haliburton over "no bid" contracts.

[Unlikely Hero]

In other news, AIG will be asking the government for another $40 Billion. :)

[FatherFig1o155]

Your lips are moving, but all I hear is Blah, Blah, Blah...

[FatherFig1o155]

Wait. What are those brown shade like things he’s looking at?

Oh that’s right...those are his brains!

[Anti-Bubba182]

I used to think Bush was bad spending with a shovel, but Obama
uses a Front loader and a printing press. $1.9 Trillion deficit in 2009. $40 Billion Saving! That’s a joke.

[pillut48]

A headline and story worthy of Scott Ott!! Incredible that it is the real thing, is anyone hearing the “Twilight Zone” theme song playing right now?!?!

The emperor truly does NOT have any clothes on, yet all the people standing in that picture do not have the guts to call him on it, for his bald/bold face lying to the American people...good grief, America, what will it take for you all to wake up and realize the danger we are in from DOMESTIC enemies in the white house?!?!?!?!?!?

[pillut48]

Well, crap. Next thing you know he’ll be shutting down the Stargate program!!!

/sarc

[pillut48]

Double-speak nebulous vapor wrapped in a thick presupposition shell.

Is that a fancy way to describe what comes out the back end of a male bovine?!?

[pillut48]

[wastedyears]

He’s a liar

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

LOL. If I were a sheep, I would feel nervous about going in there — might lose more than wool.

[Tony in Hawaii]

I read the headline thinking “What? April Fool’s Day a month early?”

Then I started reading the article. “Oh, defense spending. Naturally. All defense spending is a waste to that guy.”

[Kickass Conservative]

“LOLOLOL this is a joke right? He must think we are idiots!”

Conservatives think people are smart. Liberals know people are stupid.

[Kickass Conservative]

Obama is blaming the deficit on Bush and the Sheeple are buying it. He found a new word, “inherited”.

[kamikaze2000]

I’m waiting for Turbo Timmy to chime in and say that the military isn’t green enough, they put out way too much CO2. So we need to ground all aircraft and issue bicycles to the troops instead of MRAPs. That should save a few bucks!

[TheThinker]

I recognize the real choice between investments that are designed to keep the American people safe and those that are designed to make a defense contractor rich," Obama said.

He just doesn't get it. Those defense contractors are in business to get rich and that incentive makes them efficient and inventive.

It's not a crime to become rich so as to not have to be dependent on government, to be a parasite on others. It's not a crime to be able to defend the country with the best weapons, either.

Moron.

[GodfearingTexan]

This is pathetic. First, Yahoo is his bitch in that they even put that headline in. Second, “saving” $40BN while wasting a trillion is not saving anything. Third, why are they looking primarily at DOD? Has anyone ever heard of the department of education? Or HUD? Or HHS? And fourth, once again he’s ALWAYS using a teleprompter.

I agree he’s governing like an old USSR official, harassing the public with constant crisis. And WTF is McCain doing? Is he that pathetically desperate for face time with cameras?